Tommy Smith marked his first start since October by firing Cardiff 10 points clear at the top of the Championship. Smith, who has previously earned promotion to the top flight with Watford and QPR, came back from a hamstring injury with a substitute appearance against Ipswich last weekend and his deflected second-half volley – a maiden strike for the Bluebirds – proved enough to sink Blackpool in an even contest.

Blackpool's preparations under the caretaker manager Steve Thompson were thrown into disarray by a sickness bug that sidelined captain Alex Baptiste and fellow defenders Neal Eardley and Stephen Crainey, along with the forward Nathan Eccleston.

Bob Harris, Craig Cathcart, Ludovic Sylvestre and Tiago Gomes came into Thompson's XI with the versatile Chris Basham reverting from midfield to right-back. Illness also ruled out Craig Bellamy for Cardiff, with Joe Mason and Smith leading a new-look attack, while the centre-back Ben Turner's hamstring problem meant a start for Kevin McNaughton.

The sought-after winger Tom Ince spurned the hosts' best opportunity in a first-half of few chances. The Blackpool goalkeeper Matt Gilks denied Smith on the stroke of half-time but he could do nothing when the attacking midfielder fired home in the 64th minute. Four minutes earlier Blackpool's Gary Taylor-Fletcher had cancelled out Kim Bo-kyung's 53rd-minute opener.

The managerless Seasiders are now without a win in eight matches as the search for Michael Appleton's successor continues.